Public meeting to discuss homeless crisis

By Kernan Andrews Galway Advertiser, Thu, Feb 01, 2018

The Government must declare the housing crisis “a national emergency” and put in place “concrete measures to house people in need”, People Before Profit Galway has declared ahead of a public meeting on the issue.

There are currently 8,374 people in the State, including 3,124 children, who are homeless - an increase of 1,665 since this time last year. In Galway the current official figure is 30 families in homeless accommodation. There are close to 5,000 households on the housing waiting list in Galway - an estimated total of 15,000 people - some of whom are waiting since 2002.

According to People Before Profit’s Galway West candidate Joe Loughnane, the Government needs to declare the housing and housing situation “a national emergency” as “over the last few years we have seen a massive rise in homelessness coupled with soaring rents and poor housing conditions”.

People Before Profit will hold a public meeting calling for action to end the housing crisis on Wednesday February 7 at 7pm in Monroe’s, Dominick Street. Mr Loughnane will outline PBP proposals on social housing, introducing rent controls, and stopping evictions. The meeting will also be addressed by representatives from Threshold, An Taisce, Galway Traveller Movement, and NUI Galway Students Union.

Mr Loughnane says the meeting is “the first step in Galway in building for the national demonstration” on April 7 called by the National Homeless and Housing Coalition. All are welcome to the meeting.